ClueBy
TodayArchiveWord list

Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
YesNo
↻ New worksheet

Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: present · track · plane · firm · chest · pitch · key · lean

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  4. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. track — to keep track
  3. chest — of your body
  4. track — a path
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. chest — of your body
  7. present — there
  8. plane — a tool
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. firm — decided
  11. lean — to bend
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. lean — thin
  14. firm — a company
  15. key — the most important part
  16. present — the time now
  17. key — in music
  18. plane — in geometry
  19. track — a song
  20. key — for a lock
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. chest — a box
  23. present — a gift
  24. pitch — completely

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com